Topic 7 - Ideology and Science

Question 1

What impact has science had?

Answer 1

• Its achievements in medicine have eradicated many once fatal diseases. Many basic features of daily life today such as transport and communication would not be possible if not for technological development

Question 2

What does Popper argue?

Answer 2

• Popper argues that science is an open belief system where every scientists theories are open to scrutiny, criticism and can be falsified where scientists set out to deliberately seek evidence that would disprove them and if they are able to show that it is false, the theory can be discarded
• In Popper’s view discarding falsified knowledge claims is what enables scientific understanding of the world to grow, this is because scientific knowledge is cumulative meaning it builds on the achievements of previous scientists to develop a greater and greater understanding of the world around us
• Popper states that the key thing about scientific knowledge is that it is not sacred or absolute truth and can always be questioned

Question 3

What does Merton argue ?

Answer 3

• argues that science can only thrive as a major social institution if it receives support from other institutions
• also argues, like Popper that science is an institution that needs an ethos or a set of norms that ensure scientists serve the goal of increasing scientific knowledge

Question 4

What is CUDOS?

Answer 4

• The 4 norms identified by Merton
• Communism, scientific knowledge is not private property, scientists must share their knowledge with others in order to allow knowledge to grow
• Universalism, the truth or falsity of scientific knowledge must be judged by universal criteria and noy by the particular race or sex
• Disinterestedness, this means being committed to discovering knowledge for its own sake
• Organised Scepticism , no knowledge-claim is regarded as sacred, every idea is open to questioning

Question 5

What is A03 of Merton and Popper?

Answer 5

• Some sociologists such as Post Modern argue people now believe in science without understanding it, treating it as a secular religion
• Funding and politics may influence what is researched and published

Question 6

What does Horton argue?

Answer 6

• he distinguishes between open and closed belief systems,
• like popper, also sees science as an open belief system one where knowledge claims are open to criticism and can be disproved by testing
• By contrast religion, magic and other belief systems are closed, that is they ensure that knowledge claims cannot be successfully overturned. Whenever its fundamental beliefs are threatened or under pressure of being falsified or challenged, a closed system belief has a number “get out clauses” that reinforce the system and prevent it from being disapproved

Question 7

What is an example of a closed belief system?

Answer 7

• Evan-Pritchard’s study of the Azande
• The Azande believe that natural events have natural causes, for example, the snake bit me because I accidently stepped on it
• The Azande do not believe in coincidence or chance , thus when an unfortunate event occurs the Azande may explain it in terms of witchcraft